


Stitching up the Weeping Wounds

by __insert creative pen name here__ (seannasheep)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Depression, F/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-War, Slow recovery, Substance Abuse, post-epilogue, tags will be added as story progresses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2018-04-17 00:38:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4645917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seannasheep/pseuds/__insert%20creative%20pen%20name%20here__
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They should've recovered by now but instead everyone was feeling worse than they had felt directly after the battle was over. Its time to start recovering, it'd been nineteen years, but no one was ready to let go. But maybe this Christmas will help fix everything.  </p><p>'Christmas was the only time that they all got together. Everyone spent the week crammed into molly and Arthur’s house. But it wasn’t a happy time like it should’ve been. It just brought all the pain under one roof.' </p><p>I suck at summaries, I know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PROLOGUE

A/N: Special thanks to my editor (beta if you want to call her that but I like the word editor better), Amy for reading over this. Shout out to Teana from English cause she reads my work, even my original works, and tells me its not crap. Also,if I was JK Rowling would I be wasting my time on AO3? No. So obviously I don't own Harry Potter. And this chapter is just background info but without it you won't understand the rest of the story. 

\--------------------------

The holidays were always a time of traditions that couldn’t be broken. Of meaningless muggle carols, too small rooms with too many people crammed in them, and a deep sorrow that no amount of fake joy could ever break. It never did quite feel like Christmas with everyone grieving what once was.

An elderly couple with their six children, five children in law, 1fourteen grandchildren, nineteen close friends who were practically family and too many empty places always set at the table. Sticking together was their strength but now, inevitably, their downfall was not being able to let go.

Arthur was once the rock of the family. He did what he was passionate about despite the poor pay and for that reason, his children looked up to him. But after the war he found himself unable to get out of bed most days, so he lost his job and someone younger replaced him. He spent most days in his bedroom no and on the rare occasion that he left he’d reach the end of the hallway and collapse due to the crippling heartache that walking through the house caused him.

Molly used to do everything in her power to protect her children. They meant the world to her and she loved them dearly because of it.. But after losing a child motherhood became too much. Her children were growing older and no longer needed her constant care so she spent all her time knitting while shutting everyone out. But there was always a projects knitted for her dead son.

Bill once lived an adventurous and rebellious life. It made his mother pretend to be disappointed despite actually being proud of him. But the battle gave him horrifying mental and physical scars and left him with a craving for raw meat.. His new found desire to live safely caused a lot of tension between him and his wife. Fleur had fallen in love with his almost reckless nature and now found him simply boring. Her veela beauty had also been replaced with grey hairs, stretch marks and wrinkles and her sweet persona was replaced with short tempered snappiness. The constant fighting between their parents made Victoire, Dominique and Louis fear that they would one day be on the receiving end of a bruising blow.

Charlie lived a dangerous and isolated life before the war. Dragons meant everything to him and he had no patience for the drama of bitchy, two faced women. The war led him to giving up the reserve and marrying the first woman who would allow it, the rushed decision was in the hope that settling down would heal the wounds caused by loss. He didn’t love Penelope and she didn’t love him. The sweet girl was now only nice to people’s faces, choosing to bitch about everyone behind their back. The war destroyed her ability to see the good in everyone. Now she complained about Charlie moping around all day and spent big using the money she earned from her job as a very successful wedding planner. The children –Fred Jr and Roxanne – grew up with an empty shell of a father and a mother who taught them that material possessions and money could replace love.

Percy was rising up the ladder at the ministry prior to the war, set to one day become Minister of Magic, and after the war ended and he reconnected with his family everyone thought things were just getting better for him. He ended up getting top job and hated it. But he was too proud to admit it. He went back to his workaholic ways and rarely saw anyone outside of work. Luna thought she loved him, honestly she did, but his distancing himself made her doubt the existence of love. The girl who believed in everything and was the most optimistic person anyone could know stopped believing and lost sight of all things good, and pure, and simple in the world. Molly Jr, Lucy, Lorcan and Lysander grew up in an eerily silent and lonesome house.

George was living his childhood dream of running a joke shop with his twin. But that came crumbling down after the battle. The dream had always included Fred and he couldn’t bring himself to continue alone. Instead he hired people to run the store and never entered again. He lived in the apartment above the store, wallowing in the grief of losing his other half.

Ron accomplished so much during the war and was even offered a position as an auror. He turned down the offer. Fighting for him was never about saving the wizarding world; it was about protecting his best friend. And with Voldemort defeated Harry was no longer in danger, so he just didn’t seethe point. He didn’t see the point in anything. Hermione understood his decision not to become and auror but not his decision to shut everything and everyone out. She didn’t mind being the earner of the family, but wished he would at least talk to her. And she never did find her parents again, which only added to her grief. Rose and Hugo spent their lives watching their mother break down over the smallest of things and listening to her scream at their unresponsive father.

Ginny had great potential as a professional quidditch player. But all of her brothers had given up the sport so it felt wrong to continue. She spent her days doing housework, obviously regretting giving up quidditch. She married Harry, just like everyone knew she would, but they weren’t happy together. Harry was head auror, but hated the job. Fighting was once about keeping himself and those he cared about alive. Without that it was just a job. He’d go to the pub every night after work to drown his sorrows and stumbled home early in the morning to fall into the bed in the spare room. Ginny had kicked him out of their room long ago. James Jr, Albus Jr, and Lilly Jr were taught avoidance and to ignore rather than acceptance and love.

Teddy lost his parents to the war when he was a baby. He was raised by his grandmother, spending a great deal of time with the Potters and Weasleys. His grandmother was the one who taught him why the people he considered aunts and uncles were never truly happy. It was his last year at Hogwarts hen his grandmother died. He lived alone in her house ever since.

Draco’s father was sentenced to life in Azkaban and him and his mother narrowly avoided the same fate. his mother showered him in care and love to make up for years of not showing it enough. She supported him when his girlfriend, Astoria, died during childbirth and helped raise his son, Scorpius. They even befriended the Potters and Weasleys.

Neville could never let go of his Hogwarts days prior to the battle. He married fellow Gryffindor Katie, who was also incapable of moving on, and they both got jobs as Hogwarts professors. They weren’t in love, only together for the sake of holding on to their school days.

McGonagall became head mistress and spent most of her time working on keeping the war memorials in tiptop shape with the help of Hagrid. Moving on was impossible for them as well.

Dean seemed perfectly fine after the war. He married Hannah and they lived happily with their four beautiful daughters – Georgia, Leah, Maybelle and Izzy. But when Hannah left and never returned it was revealed that dean’s happiness was nothing but a mask.

Angelina turned to smoking, alcohol and drugs after losing her sweetheart, Fred. Living without him was too much but she wasn’t prepared to end her own life.

Gryffindor team mates Oliver and Alicia married and both made pro on different quidditch teams. They both lived very private lives to hide their pain from the rest of the world. Their children henry, Andrew and Gracie knew that their parents weren’t as happy as the world made them seem and spent life dodging paparazzi.

Christmas was the only time that they all got together. Everyone spent the week crammed into molly and Arthur’s house. But it wasn’t a happy time like it should’ve been. It just brought all the pain under one roof.

\----------------


	2. Arriving

Three days before Christmas day was when everyone arrived at the Burrow. Molly dragged herself out of bed as the sun began to rise, something she hadn’t done since the same time the year before. She left her husband asleep in bed and made her way downstairs to the kitchen; she’d wake him later. With a cup of tea and a set of knitting needles, she sunk into a chair at the table and began the wait for her family to arrive.

An hour later there was a knock on the door, which a moment later swung open to reveal a tired looking George.

“Morning, Mum,” he mumbled as he walked inside and threw himself down on a chair.

Molly nodded in acknowledgement but didn’t look up. George didn’t mind-- it wasn’t like he felt up to talking, and no one expected Molly to look at them. She never looked anyone in the eye anymore– especially George who was the splitting image of her dead son.

George was always the first to arrive and, between his arrival and midday, there was an almost steady flow of people entering the house.

Next to arrive were Ginny, James, Albus and Lilly. With a crack, they apparated right into the kitchen, holding hands in a line as Ginny was the only one who could actually do so. They instantly let go of each other and took seats at the table. Ginny sat beside George and opposite their mother while her children sat up the other end of the table, pulling out Muggle electronic devices and not even acknowledging their grandmother and uncle. Molly didn’t look up but George looked around the room before turning to face his sister.

“Where’s Harry?” he asked, his tone suggesting that he didn’t really care about the answer.

“Asleep on the couch.” Ginny grumbled. “Too hungover to wake up so I left him there. Merlin knows what time he come home last night.”

“He was still at the Leaky cauldron when I left.” George said offhandedly.

“What time was that?”

"’Bout three thirty.”

Ginny let out an exasperated sigh and the room fell silent once again.

McGonagall stepped out of the fireplace and dusted herself off.

“How is everyone?” She asked.

There was a collective shrug in response. She poured herself a cup of tea and sat down beside Molly.

“What time is it?” Ginny asked.

“Nine ten.” James read from the clock in the corner of his screen.

“I should go get Harry,” she said. To no one in particular and stood up. “Can’t have him staying there alone for a week. I doubt there’d be a house to come back to.”

“What’s that mean, Mummy?” Lilly asked, looking up from her screen curiously.

“Don’t worry, dear.” Ginny said.

“It means he’ll get drunk and break everything.” Albus explained. “Isn’t that right, Mum?”

“Whatever.” Ginny sighed. “I’ll be back soon. Hopefully.”

And with a crack she disapparated.

She arrived back with Harry at the same time Ron, Hermione, Rose and Hugo arrived. Harry nodded to his friends before slumping down beside George and falling asleep. Ginny returned to her seat on the other side of George, Ron took a seat beside Harry and Hermione sat at the head of the table. Hugo and Rose took the remaining two seats near their cousins and pulled out a book each – Hermione wouldn’t let them have electronics.

At ten a large group of people arrived. Bill, Fleur, Victoire, Dominique and Louis walked through the back door; Dean, Georgia, Leah, Maybelle and Izzy stepped out of the fireplace; Oliver, Alicia, Henry, Andrew, and Gracie landed brooms in the yard; and Angelica apparated into the room.. Extra chairs were summoned to accommodate the sixteen more people and everyone sat in silence.

Not long after that Charlie, Penelope, Fred and Roxanne stepped out of the fireplace. Penelope summoned an armchair to lounge back in while Charlie and the kids sat on the floor. When Neville and Katie apparated in, Neville joined Charlie on the floor and Katie joined Alicia and Angelina at the table, on a chair she summoned.

Another knock on the door revealed Hagrid. He walked inside and leant against a wall. And yet another crack announced the arrival of Narcissa, Draco and Scorpius who summoned chairs to sit on. A moment later Percy, Luna, Molly Jr, Lucy, Lorcan and Lysander stepped out of the fireplace. The children sat on the floor and their parents leant against a wall. Now they were only waiting on Teddy– who was yet to arrive– and Arthur-who was still in bed. But despite there being forty four people crammed into the kitchen, the only sound was the click click click of Molly’s knitting needles and the occasional turn of a page.

At five to twelve Molly finally looked up from her knitting.

"Albus, be a dear and go wake your grandfather,” she said, staring at the wall above his head.

Albus stood up and ran upstairs to do as he was told.

“Is Teddy coming?” Hugo asked while looking around the room.

“Oh, I don’t know.” Molly snapped and went back to her knitting.

Ginny began to summon ingredients and set to work making sandwiches for everyone.

Lunch had been eaten and cleaned up yet the room was still silent. It had been so quiet for so long that Hermione was starting to get irritated.

“For crying out loud!” she yelled, startling everyone. “Can someone just talk already?”

Everyone looked up and stared at her, but still no one said anything.

“Fine, I’ll start then,” she continued. “Harry, how’s work?”

Harry, who was still asleep with his head on the table, didn’t respond. Hermione reached across and started poking his shoulder.

“Harry. Harry, wake up,” she said.

“Don’t expect anything from him.” Ginny said with a disgusted chuckle. “He’s dead to the world right now. And it’s probably for the best.”

“How so?” Hermione asked.

“We don’t have to put up with him.”

The saddest thing about her response wasn’t that she actually felt that way– which she did – but that she didn’t have ANY issue with saying it in front of the children. They’d heard time and time again how much of a burden their father was to the point that comments like this were now considered normal.

Hermione sighed. She’d hoped that after the war everyone would start to recover– slowly, perhaps, but eventually they’d all be happy again. Yet the exact opposite was happening. Each year everyone was in a deeper depression than the previous year. Nineteen Christmases had passed; they were meant to be happy again. It shouldn’t have been this bad.

It wasn’t like Hermione had recovered any more than the others – she’d gotten worse as well. But she wanted to get better. Unlike everyone else who just didn’t care.

“We should do something tonight,” she said, looking around the room to see if anyone agreed, but all she saw were signs of disinterest. “Come on!” she whined. “It’ll be fun.”

“Where would we go?” Percy asked, looking up from the newspaper he’d been reading.

“There’s a new restaurant in Diagon Alley.” Hermione suggested. “Perhaps we could go there.”

“Go where?” A voice asked and everyone turned to see Teddy stepping out of the fire place.

“The new restaurant in Diagon Alley.” Hermione repeated.

“Why not?” Teddy’s response was the only answer she got.

But no one could give a reason why they shouldn’t, so Hermione made the decision that they would go.

Once the decision was made everyone had to shower before they left. The problem was there were forty-six people and two bathrooms. The line-ups to go into the bathrooms were long and the showers had to be quick. But despite the short showers, it was still late by the time everyone was gathered in front of the fireplace wearing their best robes

In groups of two and three they stepped into the fire and flooed to The Cauldron. The waitress was shocked to see such a large group of people coming in after nine at night.

The waitress led them to a group of tables near the back and took their orders.

“Mama.” Hugo said, turning to Hermione. “Tell us a story.”

“What would you like to hear?” Hermione asked.

Everyone turned to face her. Story time was a rare occurrence for all of them, and without a book she was either going to make up a story or share something about her past– both of which were things she never did.

“Tell us how you and dad met.” Hugo said.

“Okay.” Hermione replied, sparking everyone’s interest as this was something she’d never told anyone.

“I was on the Hogwarts Express going to my first year at Hogwarts.” Hermione began. “I’d only found out I was a witch a few months before, being a Muggle born and all, and it was all very exciting. I was in a compartment with two other first years, Hannah and Neville. Neville was telling us about what growing up with his grandmother was like when he realised that he’d lost his toad. Hannah freaked out, said she didn’t like toads, and ran off to find her cousin. I told Neville that I’d help him find his toad and after searching our compartment, we went to ask around. In one compartment there were two first year boys. One of them was trying to turn his rat yellow, so I sat down to watch. The spell didn’t work. I was about to leave when I realised that one of the boys was the Harry Potter. I’d read all about him, and how he’d survived an attack from Voldemort as a baby. I introduced myself and asked who the other boy was. Ron Weasley, he said. He’d spoken with a mouth full of food which disgusted me, so I told them to change into their school robes and left.”

“Were you friends?” Lilly asked, curiously.

“No.” Hermione answered. “We weren’t friends. In fact, they hated me. On Halloween, I overheard them talking about me, and what Ron said really hurt. So, I ran off to the bathrooms to cry. I skipped dinner that night and didn’t hear that there was a troll in the castle. Harry and Ron snuck off to come and warn me, but they ended up locking the troll in the bathrooms with me! The idiots. They had to come in and save me. We managed to knock it out with its own bat but then the professors came. I had to come up with a story to save their sorry arses.”

The children started laughing and even the adults chuckled slightly. It was the first time they’d been happy in years.

“Were you friends after that?” Rose asked.

“Yes.” Hermione said. “That’s how we became friends.”

“Remember Nearly Headless Nick’s death day party?” Harry started, about to tell another story.

“Death day?” Albus asked. “What’s that?”

“It’s like a birthday, only you celebrate it on the day you died.”

Then Louis said the words that ruined everyone’s happy mood; the words that made the room fall silent. “Oh, there must be a lot of death day parties on ‘Toire’s birthday.”


	3. Saddest Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for disappearing for over a year. I am still alive. Chapters will be short while I try to work out a plot (because honestly I've forgotten what I was aiming for).

The remainder of the meal passed in silence. How were they expected to continue conversation after Louis' last comment? While he didn't understand how serious what he'd said was, the reaction of the others told him he'd done something wrong. 

After the meal, they flooed home and all found a place to curl up and sleep - if they were lucky enough to fall asleep. Only the children and those who had a few to many with dinner were fortunate enough to have sleep come to them. 

*****

Christmas Day was a sorry occasion at the Burrow. 

By the time everyone had dragged themselves out of bed and into the lounge it was already mid afternoon. The kids had been restless since before dawn when they'd emptied their Santa sacks. They wanted more presents, but had to wait for everyone else. 

Once the gifts were opened, the kids ran off to play with their new toys - leaving the adults in an uncomfortable silence. 

One present remained unopened under the tree.   
"Why do you do this to yourself, Mum?" Percy grumbled as he stood up and grabbed the neatly wrapped gift.   
Molly's lack of response didn't come as a surprise. He picked up the present and bit back tears when he saw the tag. He knew exactly what it was, yet it still upset him to see it. 

Percy walked upstairs, all the way to the article. He pulled the box down off the top shelf and blew to dust away before opening it slowly. He tucked the present into the box and returned it to the shelf before going back downstairs. 

The box was filled with presents. Each wrapped in his mother's favourite wrapping paper. Each unopened. And each labelled 'To Fred, From Mum and Dad' in Molly's neat handwriting. 

There were nineteen in total.


	4. The Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the ridiculously long time it has been since I updated. It got to the point where I honestly forgot where I was planning on taking this story. I hope you like the new direction I've decided to take and fingers crossed it flows on okay. I'll try to update reasonably regularly from now on in an attempt to get this story finished.

The rest of the Christmas period passed in a blur. Everyone left the Burrow – except Molly and Arthur, of course – and kids returned to Hogwarts.

One morning in early January, Hermione was woken by an owl she didn’t recognise tapping on the window. She pulled herself out of bed and let it in. The owl gave her the letter than left. She took the letter into the kitchen to read over a cup of coffee.

The return name said ‘Ebony Rhinestone, your biggerest fan’ in a child’s handwriting. Back in the early days, the trio had received plenty of fan mail. But those days were long gone, and it had been years since any such letters were delivered. She sighed and opened it, deciding there was no harm in reading a letter from a little girl.

_‘Dear Mrs Hermione Granger-Weasley,_

_My name is Ebony Rhinestone and I am your biggerest fan. Mummy just finish read me a book all about you and Harry and Ron and the war you fought in. I wanted to right to tell you you was very very very brave. I wood never be able to do something like that. Mummy saids I can’t know that for sure though because I am only 5._

_When I asked Mummy what happened to you and Harry and Ron she said you disappeared. This made me very sad. I didn’t want you to be gone. She then told me you weren’t gone. You were just hiding from all the nosy people. That makes sense. I hate when Aunty asks me questions I don’t want to answer. She is very very nosy. Probably one of the nosy people you are hiding from._

_I really really hope the owl find you. I would love very muchly to hear from you. Lots of people would, I’m sure. You did such great things for the wiziding world._

_Lots of love and kisses,_

_Ebony Rhinestone xoxoxo’_

Hermione couldn’t help but smile at the not from the child. Sure, it was terribly written, but there was something endearing about the fact that someone so young knew who they were and what they did.

Under the note from the girl, on the same piece of parchment, was an adult’s handwriting.

‘ _I’m sorry to have bothered you (if this even reaches you). But Ebony really wanted to send the letter. The girl idolises you. And I’m glad she does. You are such an amazing woman, definitely the kind of person everyone should want their daughter to look up to._

_-Hazel Rhinestone (Ebony’s mother)’_

Hermione set the note down and went about her daily life, but it never left her mind. It was nice to know that they hadn’t been forgotten by the world. Perhaps it was time to show the world that they hadn’t forgotten about the world either.

Hermione Granger-Weasley was done hiding. It was time to let the world know the way war effected the lives of some of the most prominent figures in the Second Wizarding War. The side of the story no one ever told. The story of how the struggling never really ends, even once peace and safety has been restored.

Hermione Granger-Weasley was going to write a book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it was so short, I'll try to make future chapters longer (maybe, I might choose shorter chapters more regularly instead. I haven't decided yet.)
> 
> Thank you for reading. Comment any thoughts or suggestions.

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to comment what you thought.


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